THE NSPCC is expanding its ChildLine counselling service to a new website this-morning. The national charity’s call centre in London’s East End has counselled 5,700 youngsters over the phone in the past 12 months. But from 9am youngsters can get help online

By Mike Brooke

THE NSPCC is expanding its ChildLine counselling service to a new website this-morning (Monday).

The national charity's call centre at Spitalfields, in London's East End, has counselled 5,700 youngsters over the phone in the past 12 months alone.

Volunteers staff the free 0800-1111 phone lines daily, till the early hours of the morning, receiving calls for help from children throughout Britain.

But from 9am today, youngsters can go online and get information and support through the new ChildLine website, or make contact through email, message boards or one-to-one phone chats with trained counsellors.

ChildLine senior supervisor Mark Bajer said: "We have been able to expand the onto the internet in the way that suits children best, thanks to Government funding and public support.

"Some children aren't lucky enough to have family support and end up suffering in silence. We provide trusted and confidential support for those children who feel isolated."

Online creative tools allow youngsters to explore their feelings. There are also games, videos and a mood tracker to help evaluate how they feel over a period of time.

The expansion onto the internet follows an online poll of 1,000 children aged 11 to 16 which found that one-in-three felt sad, depressed, lonely, worried, stressed, scared or angry most of the time. ChildLine call figures show not all children are lucky enough to have a family support network and feel isolated and afraid.